Ayla Rodríguez
My name is Ayla Rodriguez. I’ve lived in Segovia my whole life, except for the year I studied in the US. My junior year of high school I moved to California, and while there, I discovered that I love traveling and need to move to new places to learn about new cultures and truly be happy. I'm currently in my final year of the Bachelor in Behavior and Social Sciences program at IE University and took the opportunity to spend the first semester of my final year in Iceland as part of an exchange program. I alway try to “see the good” in everything and everyone, and I use that quote as a daily reminder to be patient and wait for good to come.
"I decided to apply to IE University because it was my dream university: full of cultures and different nationalities and full of people with an open mind."
Traveling the world without leaving home
When she was considering where to study, Ayla’s love for discovering other cultures and enjoyment of diversity made IE University the standout choice for her. In fact, she describes IE University as her “dream university: full of cultures, different nationalities and people with open minds.”
Calling it “the most diverse university in Spain,” Ayla says that even though part of her IE University program took place in her home town of Segovia, studying here is like traveling around the world. Her joy in speaking with people of different nationalities, and hearing different points of view, is evident. She asserts that being part of the IE Community has opened her mind and prepared her for real life.
So, it comes as no surprise that Ayla chose the Bachelor in Behavior and Social Sciences. She clearly loves working with people, finding out how different people tick and how they make both their personal and professional decisions. The program is a good fit for what Ayla already loved, and the study environment very much suits her too. She says she feels completely at home every time she comes to campus, and loves the spaces where she can hang out with her peers.
Outside of the classroom, Ayla goes to her friends’ sporting events and activities to cheer them on as much as possible, and makes sure she attends as many of the myriad events that the university hosts as she can. The whole ecosystem has played an important part in her development, both professionally and personally. In fact, Ayla says it’s thanks to IE University that she has come as far as she has.
Ayla has taken what she’s learned into the startup she currently works for, where she’s gaining more experience of working processes, and getting plenty of contact with senior staff. In the future, she hopes to forge a career working in human behavior, psychology or criminology.
In her personal life, Ayla is extremely active. As well as her much-loved travel, she enjoys trying new things generally, but plans her days quite meticulously. She plans her day in her agenda, and you can often find her working out at the gym, participating in track and field events, or skiing. But she also finds time to sit down to watch a good TV show or movie.
Some of Iceland’s culture has clearly stayed with her from her internship. When asked about a saying or feeling she lives by, Ayla quotes the Icelandic phrase “petta reddast.” This saying, broadly meaning that everything will work out okay, is a sort of unofficial motto of the country. Petta reddast, Ayla!
